Internal combustion engines are heat engines wherein the burning of a fuel occurs in a confined space (combustion chamber). An exothermic reaction occurs when a fuel reacts with an oxidizer, thereby creating gases of high temperature and pressure. The expanding hot gasses perform useful work, i.e. they cause the movement of the engine itself or the movement of the engine's components, such as its pistons and rotors.
Several types of fuel have been used with internal combustion engines. Today, the most common fuels are those that are made up of hydrocarbons and are derived from petroleum, such as diesel, gasoline, and liquefied petroleum gas. However, increasing world demand for, and diminishing reserves of, petroleum are bringing the golden age of abundant, inexpensive petroleum to an end.
Recently, some have begun using corn-based ethanol as fuels, fuel extenders, and fuel oxygenates. Ethanol fuels are renewable and less polluting because the photosynthesis that provides carbohydrates for ethanol fermentation also converts atmospheric carbon dioxide to oxygen. However, ethanol fuel production also requires energy-intensive, costly, and polluting distillation/desiccation steps, and overall energy yields exceed energy input by only a small margin. There has also been some discussion of developing renewable biomass fuels, with current emphasis on cellulosic ethanol and bio-diesel oil (vegetable oil ester) fuels. However, these present the drawbacks of high energy expenditure for cellulosic ethanol and land-use competition with food and feed crops for biodiesel.
Others have attempted to use powdered coal dust or plant carbohydrates or chemically-modified derivatives of carbohydrates and biomass residues as fuels, fuel-extenders and ignition promoters. However, none of them teach the direct use of dry, non-modified, non-solubilized, non-emulsified carbohydrate powders as fuel and fuel extenders in internal combustion engines.
Therefore, a need existed for an apparatus and method for using pure dry biomass carbohydrates as fuels, fuel extenders and fuel oxygenates. Preferably, the apparatus and method would be used in internal combustion engines. Further preferably, the apparatus and method would provide for more rapid and energy-efficient conversion of the biomass carbohydrates into biomass fuels, fuel extenders, and oxygenates. Further preferably, the dry carbohydrates used for the present invention will be starch, sugars, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignins, or any combination thereof. Still further preferably, the apparatus and method would also be less detrimental to the environment.